Kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans and two others, Uchenna Amadi and Okuchukwu Nwachukwu, were on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment.
They were sent to jail by the High Court of Lagos State sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Justice Hakeem Oshodi.
The judge arrived at the decision after convicting them on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru who is the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Justice Oshodi, in convicting the trio declared that the prosecution had successfully proved the charge against them beyond a reasonable doubt.
The judge held that he observed the demeanour of the witness, stating that in some of the confessional videos played in court, Evans had mentioned some of the other defendants and the roles they played in the crime.
According to Justice Oshodi, “He was seen freely laughing and willingly answered questions. A close look at his body shows no sign of torture. He did not look unkempt. He is seen laughing even when he was told that he must be a rich kidnapper.
“He showed no remorse in the dock and tried to lie his way out of the crimes despite the video evidence.”
Justice Oshodi concluded that the evidence tendered before the court especially their video confessions corroborated their guilt.
The judge discharged and acquitted Ogechi Uchechukwu and two former soldiers of the Nigerian Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
It would be recalled that the Lagos State government had arraigned Evans alongside Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, and Victor Aduba for allegedly kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu, on February 14, 2017.
The state had claimed that the convicts committed the alleged offence between February 14 and April 12, 2017.
The prosecution had further told the court that the incident took place at about 7:45 pm, along Obokun Street, in the Ilupeju area of Lagos.
The Lagos State government had informed the judge that on April 12, Evans alongside the other five defendants while armed with guns and other weapons captured, detained and collected a ransom of 223,000 euros from Donatus for his release.
The Lagos State government subsequently arraigned the defendants before the court in August 2017.
In all, the prosecution presented four witnesses, including the victim, Dunu while the defence presented six witnesses including Evans who testified in his defence.
Evans is also facing similar charges before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo and Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the same court.
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